Elijah Mitchell RB KC (6) Fri 9/22/23 12:22 AM
Elijah Mitchell
RB KC (6)
Mitchell rushed 11 times for 42 yards and secured all three targets for two yards in the 49ers' 30-12 win over the Giants on Thursday night.
EDGE Analysis
Mitchell went from not seeing any snaps in Week 2 against the Rams to more than doubling his Week 1 workload in extended action. The third-year back was able to give Christian McCaffrey some time off the field thanks in part to San Francisco's fourth-quarter lead, but Mitchell's week-to-week production will be hard to trust given head coach Kyle Shanahan has proven willing to entrust McCaffrey with a hefty workload in more competitive scenarios than Thursday's.
Elijah Mitchell RB KC (6) Mon 9/18/23 3:07 PM
Elijah Mitchell
RB KC (6)
Mitchell did not see the field in Sunday's 30-23 win over the Rams.
EDGE Analysis
Mitchell's lack of playing time wasn't due to a role reduction, but rather a lack of need after starter Christian McCaffrey stayed on the field for every offensive snap Sunday. The only other San Francisco running back used was Jordan Mason, who logged 17 snaps in his usual role on special teams. Head coach Kyle Shanahan has been leaning on McCaffrey heavily early on, but it wouldn't be surprising to see Mitchell get involved as the season progresses in order to keep the starter fresh.
Elijah Mitchell RB KC (6) Mon 9/11/23 3:07 PM
Elijah Mitchell
RB KC (6)
Mitchell rushed five times for 10 yards and failed to bring in his lone target in Sunday's 30-7 win over Pittsburgh.
EDGE Analysis
The Steelers were unable to stop Christian McCaffrey (22-152-1) on the ground, which left little work for Mitchell and the rest of the 49ers' backups Sunday. The 25-year-old was on the field for 15 percent of the offense's plays, and he likely won't crack the 25 percent mark so long as McCaffrey stays healthy this season. Mitchell has proven that he can do a lot with a little (6.2 YPC in 2022), so those in deeper formats shouldn't cut ties with the power runner after a quiet Week 1.
Elijah Mitchell RB KC (6) Mon 8/21/23 5:34 PM
Elijah Mitchell
RB KC (6)
Mitchell, who had been dealing with an adductor strain, returned to practice Monday, David Lombardi of The Athletic reports.
EDGE Analysis
Though Mitchell was back in pads Monday, it's unclear if he'll suit up for Friday's preseason finale against the Chargers. In the absence of any injury setbacks, the 2021 sixth-rounder is slated to open the season in a complementary role working as star RB Christian McCaffrey's top backup.
Elijah Mitchell RB KC (6) Sun 8/20/23 7:29 PM
Elijah Mitchell
RB KC (6)
San Francisco coach Kyle Shanahan said Sunday that Mitchell (hip) is expected to return to practice at some point this coming week, Lindsey Pallares of the team's official site reports.
EDGE Analysis
Mitchell has been sitting out since Aug. 3 while dealing with an adductor strain. The 25-year-old has been hampered by injuries throughout much of his young career, and he was limited to just five games last season. He's still totaled 252 carries for 1,242 rushing yards (4.9 YPC) across 16 career games, and, when healthy, he should fill a significant role behind starting running back Christian McCaffrey.
Elijah Mitchell RB KC (6) Thu 8/3/23 3:23 PM
Elijah Mitchell
RB KC (6)
Mitchell suffered an adductor strain and is expected to be out for about a week, Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle reports.
EDGE Analysis
Mitchell had enjoyed a healthy spring and summer up until Wednesday/Thursday, after missing more regular-season games (18) than he played (16) through his first two professional seasons. The estimate coach Kyle Shanahan provided Thursday suggests Mitchell should resume practicing long before Week 1, with Jordan Mason and Tyrion Davis-Price candidates to see more work with the first- and second-team offenses in the meantime.
Elijah Mitchell RB KC (6) Thu 5/25/23 6:15 AM
Elijah Mitchell
RB KC (6)
Mitchell (groin) participated in the 49ers' first open practice of OTAs on Tuesday, Jennifer Lee Chan of NBC Sports Bay Area reports.
EDGE Analysis
Mitchell dealt with injuries to both of his knees in addition to a late-season groin injury in 2022, so it was a positive sign to see him take part in the early stages of OTAs, with Chan noting that the running back "ran with power, taking reps from the backfield and as a pass catcher." The 25-year-old was still productive last season despite being limited physically, averaging 6.2 yards per carry while spelling starter Christian McCaffrey. With both backs looking healthy early in camp, San Francisco should begin the 2023 campaign with one of the top rushing duos in the league, assuming Mitchell can stay on the field.
Elijah Mitchell RB KC (6) Sun 2/5/23 6:41 PM
Elijah Mitchell
RB KC (6)
Mitchell (groin) finished the regular season with 45 rushing attempts for 279 yards and two touchdowns across five healthy games.
EDGE Analysis
Mitchell suffered injuries to both of his knees at different points of the season, resulting in a loss of 12 games in addition to his starting role. The 24-year-old remained productive backing up Christian McCaffrey with a healthy 6.2 yards-per-carry average when healthy. Mitchell did suffer a groin injury during the 49ers' playoff run, but it was considered minor at the time. The standout 2021 sixth-round pick remains under contract for the 2023 campaign, putting him in position to spell McCaffrey if health permits.
Elijah Mitchell RB KC (6) Sun 1/29/23 1:42 PM
Elijah Mitchell
RB KC (6)
Mitchell (groin) is inactive for Sunday's NFC Championship Game against the Eagles, Lindsey Pallares of the 49ers' official site reports..
EDGE Analysis
Mitchell approached the game listed as questionable after not practicing this past week, and he'll be unavailable Sunday, which sets the stage for Jordan Mason and Tevin Coleman to log complementary snaps behind top running back Christian McCaffrey, with the versatile Deebo Samuel also mixing in. If the 49ers defeat the Eagles, Mitchell's next chance to see game action will arrive Sunday, Feb. 12 in the Super Bowl.
Elijah Mitchell RB KC (6) Fri 1/27/23 4:28 PM
Elijah Mitchell
RB KC (6)
Mitchell (groin) is listed as questionable for Sunday's NFC Championship Game in Philadelphia, Cam Inman of The San Jose Mercury News reports.
EDGE Analysis
Both Mitchell and Christian McCaffrey (calf) were held out of drills Wednesday and Thursday, but only McCaffrey showed enough Friday to be cleared ahead of Sunday's contest. Coach Kyle Shanahan told Cam Inman of The San Jose Mercury News that Mitchell did take part in Friday's walkthrough, but the 49ers aren't yet ready to afford him the same luxury as McCaffrey after Mitchell logged a third consecutive DNP. Mitchell's status thus won't be known until about 90 minutes before Sunday's 3:00 p.m. ET kickoff. If Mitchell is limited or sidelined, Deebo Samuel (ankle), Jordan Mason, Tyrion Davis-Price and practice-squad member Tevin Coleman are the candidates to get reps at running back behind McCaffrey.